President Trump needs to testify

Sunday

This has to be a head-spinning time for Donald Trump supporters concerned about Russia’s burgling of America’s elections.

They hear Trump call special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe of Russia’s deceit a “witch hunt” – even as our government proposes sanctions against Russia largely fueled by Mueller’s findings.

They see Trump and his more sycophantic acolytes doing what they can to sabotage Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference – even while the heads of every U.S. intelligence agency (and occasionally Trump himself) agree Russia sabotaged 2016 and is trying to do so again.

As a public service, I offer some humble common-sense alternatives to folks bombarded with all the orange noise blaring out of the White House. Some of us call it reality.

Trump complaint: Donald’s legal team is very concerned Mueller wants to question the former head of Trump University simply so he can trick Trump into committing perjury.

Reality: As I would tell my 2-year-old granddaughter, if someone wants to avoid accusations of lying, all he has to do is not lie. Especially under oath.

Trump complaint: Mueller’s investigation is taking way too long and needs to end “right now.”

Reality: Pretty simple – the man has to continue his investigation until it’s completed. Mueller’s team has so far indicted 26 Russian nationals – including a dozen military intelligence officers; three Russian companies; and some key advisors from Trump’s campaign, as well as others.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know who else is attacking our democracy and cheating our country for personal benefit? And how high up it goes? Quitting now would be like stopping the Watergate investigation after charging the burglars who broke into the Democratic office that night.

Kenneth Starr’s investigations of Bill Clinton lasted four years. Trey Gowdy’s House committee investigated the 2012 Benghazi attack – a single event – for two-and-a-half years.

But if Trump’s people really want Mueller to finish his investigation soon, why do they keep delaying his requests to question Trump?

Reality: I can’t even pretend to understand the rationale Trump sycophants employ to argue this case.

Supposedly some right-wing GOP House members are upset Rosenstein hasn’t provided all the documents they want to see from the ongoing Mueller investigation. But umm, it’s an ongoing investigation.

Supposedly, Rosenstein is some kind of Democratic sympathizer who has it in for Trump. Except back in the 1990s he investigated Bill Clinton’s role in the Whitewater scandal as part Kenneth Starr’s team. And later he was appointed by George W. Bush as U.S. Attorney for Maryland, holding the job for nearly 12 years. And he was nominated to his current post by Trump. And his May 2017 memo was originally cited as the excuse to fire former FBI director James Comey – until Trump changed his story.

So Republicans liked Rosenstein quite a lot – until they didn’t. Seems more likely this animosity stems from his determination to back Mueller and let him do his job to its natural conclusion. And this seems to frighten Donald Trump.

Trump complaint: The people behind this Russia investigation are unpatriotic.

Reality: What could be more patriotic than exposing people attacking our country? It’s now clear to everyone, even Trump (except when it’s not), that Vladimir Putin has succeeded beyond his wildest ambitions in diminishing the United States and elevating his own country. Mueller’s team is casting a spotlight on Putin’s actions for the world to see, and now even Republicans are pushing for sanctions to punish him.

I happen to think Putin’s initial motive was simply to keep Hillary from winning the White House, but he must have been downright giddy at the prospect of Donald Trump occupying the Oval Office.

Now Trump and his GOP Mini-Mes are essentially providing cover for Putin by trying to undermine this investigation. But they’re also citing the evidence produced by this investigation to publicly call out Putin.

It would almost be schizophrenic if you didn’t realize Trump is only imposing these sanctions because he’s been cornered into action.

Trump complaint: Robert Mueller is such a straight arrow Trump supporters can’t point to anything specific, but they’re doing their damnedest to imply the guy’s up to something nefarious. They just don’t know what.

Reality: I will keep repeating this as long as Trump whines about “witch hunts” – Mueller is Captain Freaking America.

Mueller graduated with an Ivy League degree and then joined the Marine Corps, served as a captain in Vietnam, was wounded in combat and decorated for bravery. A week before the 9/11 attacks he was appointed director of the FBI and did such an outstanding job he was asked by Barack Obama to stay on for two more years. Only J. Edgar Hoover served longer as the bureau’s chief.

No doubt Trump, the con-artist draft dodger, is going nuts pitted against a man of such granite integrity.

Trump complaint: Donald wants to pre-establish his own conditions before agreeing to any interview with Mueller.

Reality: Tough noogies. Subjects of an investigation don’t get to call the shots. Mueller can always issue a subpoena if necessary, and Trump can fight it, but then he’ll seem as sleazy and corrupt as his cohorts. And as so many have asked about his tax returns, what’s he trying to hide?

One final dose of reality. I’m no constitutional scholar, but I’ll guaran-damn-tee the Founding Fathers, having just fought a brutal war to throw off the yoke of tyranny, had no intention of putting any man above the law. Regardless of his office.

D. Allan Kerr believes Mueller is the Eliott Ness of our century. Kerr may also be found on the Sloth Blog at https://slothonline.com/portfolio/d-allan-kerr/ and @Sloth_Blog on Twitter.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service